An Apple A Day
by FlamesOfAPhoenix
Summary: It begins with illegal cauldrons, involves bobbing for apples, and ends in a kiss. A more lighthearted look at the circumstances leading to Remus and Tonks' first kiss.


**Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling; I merely play with her creation. This was written for Cheeky Slytherin Lass' **_**The Potter Games Competition**_** and uses the following prompts: last, in the shadows, apples, moment of insanity, and the quote "No matter how silly or stupid, the heart knows no logic." I hope you enjoy!**

It started innocuously enough. Tonks, as was her want, was lurking in the shadows of Grimauld Place. After a particularly dull shift of guard duty, she wanted nothing more than a bit of light relief. Admittedly, on first appearance, the dark and maudlin nature of the house did not lend itself to easy amusement. If you ignored the house elves, both alive and decapitated, however, the company wasn't half bad. In fact, after an hour of Mundungus' running diatribe on the advantages of his illegal cauldrons, anyone's company would have sufficed. Tonks, though, was a little more particular.

She was, as it happened, seeking Sirius and Remus. Rarely apart, the pair were a surprising supply of banter and comfort. Behind his shy and solemn demeanour, Remus possessed a dry sense of humour and was the source of many wry comments. He was the perfect foil to Sirius' exuberant personality, and was the only one capable of keeping him balanced. Tonks enjoyed listening to them, and it was with quiet relief that she found them in the kitchen. They held glasses of Fire Whiskey and were, by the sounds of it, debating the merits of the Chudley Cannons.

"Wotcher," she said, slumping into a chair.

"Rough night?" asked Remus sympathetically, stopping his ruminations and turning his soulful eyes upon Tonks. Ignoring the way his gaze affected her, Tonks accepted Sirius' offer of alcohol. "You could say that," she groaned, clasping the mug in her hands and taking a large gulp. "I had a shift with Mundungus," she elaborated, allowing a note of exasperation to enter her voice.

"Ah," said Remus understandingly. "Cauldrons?"

"For hours!"

"Cauldrons, eh," mused Sirius, speaking for the first time. "Maybe we should introduce him to Percy Weasley. I've been told he has a thing for discussing cauldron bottom thickness…" At this, Remus and Tonks burst into peals of laughter and Sirius gave them a satisfied smirk. The idea of the fastidious Percy talking to the thoroughly unhygienic Mundungus was greatly entertaining. Mind you, thought Tonks, the way he'd treated Molly and his family, he'd probably deserve it.

As she continued to giggle, Tonks caught Remus' eye across the table and fought the sudden urge to blush. She'd always admired the werewolf, impressed by his constant staunchness in the face of adversity and – somewhere along the line – that respect had turned into something more. At first, their conversation had been awkward and stilted, but they had bonded over their shared affection for Sirius. Whenever the fugitive drank himself senseless, Tonks and Remus stayed with him through the night. He was the brother they'd never had, and they felt responsible for him. After a while, however, these vigils ceased to be a chore and Tonks began to enjoy her midnight conversations with Remus.

Regardless, though, there was something highly distressing about Sirius' actions. His circumstances had led to a severe bout of depression and, despite his ostensibly jovial mood, it was clear to Tonks that Sirius was in the midst of another episode. There were deep shadows under his eyes, and he was drinking with alarming speed. It was perhaps unsurprising, therefore, that – when it came – they bowed to his latest request.

"I wanna play a game," slurred Sirius, about an hour after Tonks' arrival. His eyes, slightly crossed, fell upon a solitary apple. For reasons best known to Molly, the Weasley matriarch had taken to leaving a bowl of fruit on the table. It was, most likely, a futile attempt to encourage healthy eating, and Tonks' suspected that Sirius' intentions were far from nutritious. She was, unsurprisingly, proved right.

"Let's bob for apples!" he cried, conjuring a bowl of water.

"Sirius," said Remus gently, "there's only one apple." It was a mark of how drunk Sirius was that he didn't simply multiply it. Clearly, Remus was set on dissuading Sirius from this course of action. He didn't, however, factor in Sirius' penchant for annoying others.

"That _is_ a problem," agreed Sirius. He scrunched his face in concentration, before suddenly brightening. "I know," he said, "you two can compete for it! I'll just… watch." Remus looked as though he wanted to disagree, but Tonks intervened. "Alright, then," she blurted out. Even tipsy, she knew that being that close to Remus was risky for a girl who had fallen head over heels for him, but she couldn't bring herself to refuse. Sirius' black mood was growing clearer, and she was in no hurry to welcome it. Meeting Remus' gaze once more, she tried to convey those sentiments. Something must have convinced him, for a look of understanding flashed across his features.

"I'm game if you are," he replied, his voice hoarse. Letting out a cry of happiness, Sirius tossed Tonks the apple, intending for her to deposit it in the bowl. She tried to catch it, but, as usual, any form of coordination escaped her. Thankfully, Remus was there to save the day. Deftly catching the apple, he used the other arm to encircle Tonks' waist and stop her fall.

"Not exactly an auspicious start, is it?" he murmured, breath tickling her ear. Quite suddenly, Tonks felt her heart rate increase and worried anew about their close proximity. Not trusting herself to speak, she shook her head mutely and forced a smile. Merlin, what was wrong with her? How could one man have such an effect? For a moment, Tonks was sure Remus was blushing too, but quickly ignored this train of thought. As much as she'd like it to be true, she didn't want to get her hopes up.

Trying to subdue her emotions, Tonks removed Remus' arm and edged around the table. Making sure she was opposite Remus, Sirius raised his arms. "Go!" he shouted loudly, swaying slightly. In an undeniably bizarre scene, the werewolf and the Metamorphmagus lunged for the apple, a mixture of alcohol and competitiveness fuelling their speed. A few seconds later, Tonks found herself kneeling on the table, her teeth firmly entrenched in the apple. Most unfortunately, Remus was in an identical position. There was no ignoring it this time, he _was _blushing. She could see droplets of water on every eyelash and, heart thumping, she felt him return her gaze. If there hadn't been a bloody apple in the way, she was quite certain she would've kissed him there and then.

Quite suddenly, however, there was a loud crash, and they broke apart, the shock causing them to drop the apple. By the looks of things, Sirius had passed out on the floor. "Typical," muttered Remus, managing a wry smile. She turned to look at him, smiling slightly.

Their eyes met.

"I think he can wait for a moment," she whispered. And Tonks never knew what possessed her, but in a moment of madness, she leant forward and acted on her earlier impulse. She knew it was silly, and she knew it was stupid, but the heart knows no logic and she couldn't help how she felt. As her lips met his, however, all fears of rejection melted away.

Because, quite simply, he was kissing her back.

At last.


End file.
